Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-27
For the Dispatchl
To she Members OF the General AS
seIuh,y:

The writer takes the liberty of call
ing the attention of the General As
sembly TO the urgent necessity of doing
something for the better protection of
the people against the unprecedented
amount Of thieying and other depre-
dations that have been multiplying
upon them during the last year. There
are in almost every community organ
lied bands OF thieves, who make their
living in this way, and no species of
personal property is safe from their
clutches. Hogs, sheep, poultry OF
every kind, wheat, oats. corn in the
field, vegetables. and fruits are all
preyed upon more or less, whilst corn
houses, mills, and country stores are
being constantly broken open. Then
there are the bunk-dealers going
about the country trading for all kinds
of things without license, and many of
them, it is believed, cooperating with
these thieves and receiving stolen pro-
perry, to be sold i'll the cities. This
state of things is becoming alarming,
for many of our people in their present
straitened circumstances are not able to
bear the losses which some of them
have suffered from this source. This
condition of things is particularly ag-
gravated il the Southside counties,
where the negro element prevails.
This state OF things is owing in some
measure to the general want and bust
ness depression pervading the whole
country But the main reason of it is
to be found in the lazy habits and thrift
lefsness of the negro population. An
other reason is, the laws are not suffi-
GENTLY executed, and crime in many in
stances goes unpunished. This is more
particularly the case i'll the Southside
counties. In some OF these counties,
nearly oil of the county and district
offices are held by ignorant and incapa-
BILE men (many of them being negroes).
and the consequence is lawlessness and
crime are rampant.
In some localities there is no magiS-
trate within a reaching distance, and
persons aggrieved choose rather to suf-
fer wrong and loss than go eight or ten
miles to hunt up one and even when
one is found he may turn out to be 50
or so unworthy of confidence
that nothing is accomplished. The
truth is, even if all the magistrates were
capable and trustworthy, they are too
few and "far between" There are not
enough of them. Now, l take the fur
Their liberty of making a suggestion to
remedy this evil.
1t is well known that the notaries
compose better and more capable and
intelligent class of officials than the
magistrates. Let these notlries be
clothed with judicial powers TO issue
warrants in cases of petit larceny and
try the same. They should also be en-
powered TO Issue search.warrants. for it
often happens that magistrate cannot
be had in time. They have already
been made conssrvators OF the peace,
and ii seems TO the writer EN- nently
proper to extend their powers a little
farther. IL this were done, many To-
calities that are now in great meamre
without legal protection might be sup.
plled by the appointment OF notary
by the Governor.
Before closing this article wish par
Iicularly 10 call the attention OF the |
General Assembly TO a most startling
TACT i'll connection with these raids upon
II is known that in many |
instances the parties in these forages go |
armed and put out pickets 10 watch for |
The owners aud shoot them IL they |
should come out so that not only their |
but even their lives are endan-
yered. This is no stretch of the i'm |
sgination. Ii is a veritable fact, which |
the following case proves:
Several years ago man belonging 10 |
one OF these gangs was arrested aud |
put upon trial for breaking into store |
in this county. One Of the gang being |
put upon the stand as witness frankly |
acknowledgement they put out pickets |